Press Release

PSECU Assistant Vice President of Marketing and Communications Karen Roland Named 2017 Woman of Influence by Central Penn Business Journal

Harrisburg, PA - June 26, 2017 - Today, PSECU Assistant Vice President of Marketing and Communications Karen Roland was presented with the 2017 Women of Influence Award by the Central Penn Business Journal during a recognition ceremony at the Hilton Harrisburg. Bestowed annually, the Women of Influence awards honor local business women for their outstanding leadership, integrity and accomplishments.

"It is a great privilege to be named a 2017 Woman of Influence," Roland said. "As a professional in Central Pennsylvania, I have always held the admirable recipients of this award in the highest esteem for the work they do and the positive outcomes they create throughout the region and beyond. I consider many of the past Women of Influence, including my colleague PSECU Vice President of Marketing and Membership Development Barb Bowker, to be personal role models, and it is an honor to join their ranks today."

Roland joined PSECU as Director of Marketing and Communications in 2008. In her current Assistant Vice President role, she leads PSECU's branding and marketing strategy, with oversight of the credit union's creative services, digital marketing, social media, advertising, public relations, corporate communications, and marketing project management areas. Additionally, she contributes to PSECU's overall success as a participant in the president's executive staff and strategic planning meetings where her high-level strategic thinking helps steer the credit union's efforts to best serve members. Roland also currently teaches as an adjunct faculty member at Penn State Harrisburg.

"Karen Roland truly embodies what it means to be a woman of influence in today's society. She is talented and dedicated in her endeavors - always acting with the highest level of confidence and reliability - and as a result, she has been able to overcome many obstacles and achieve great successes both professionally and for the greater good of the community," said PSECU Vice President of Marketing and Membership Development Barb Bowker, a 2015 Woman of Influence who nominated Roland for the award. "These commendable qualities that Karen possesses are what we celebrate today."

Roland has a diverse range of professional experience spanning the marketing, human resources and operations fields, and she has worked in the automotive, consumer goods, and financial services industries. Most recently, she was employed by The Hershey Company where her 13-year career was marked by multiple progressive promotions based on the consistent results she achieved.

A longstanding history and passion for community service underline Roland's professional career, with efforts focused strongly on promoting a better future for others - particularly those with disadvantaged backgrounds. She has lent her community leadership to several local nonprofit boards, including that of United Cerebral Palsy of Central PA, St. Theresa School, Penn State Hershey Medical Center's Advisory board, and the Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance. Her field expertise has been an asset to many nonprofit's and start-up companies' branding and marketing strategy efforts. Also, she frequently volunteers her time to mentor students, sharing with them her knowledge of business and insights on success while encouraging their continued development.

Roland holds a Bachelor of Science in engineering from West Virginia University and an MBA from Penn State. She is also a graduate of Leadership Harrisburg Area.

"On behalf of PSECU, our employees, and our valued members, I extend my congratulations to Karen Roland for this distinguished achievement," said PSECU President Greg Smith. "Through her outstanding efforts, abilities and dedication, Karen has positioned herself as a major asset for PSECU as we strive to meet and surpass our members' financial needs."

About PSECU

Opened in 1934, PSECU was founded by 22 ordinary people who made an extraordinary commitment to each other: To create a financial institution where pooled resources benefit all members. Today, we are a full-service credit union serving more than 400,000 members and have over $5 billion in assets. As a not-for-profit financial institution, our goal remains to help our members and their families achieve a better life. For more information about PSECU, visit psecu.com. View our Community Report Card to learn how we contribute to the greater good.

Karen Roland, PSECU Assistant Vice President of Marketing and Communications, named 2017 Woman of Influence by Central Penn Business Journal.

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About PSECU

We are a not-for-profit credit union providing a full array of convenient, electronically delivered services at no or low cost. In fact, we're proud to be one of the largest credit unions in Pennsylvania! We serve more than 400,000 members and have over $5 billion in assets. We're the credit union of choice for hundreds of businesses and organizations across the great state of Pennsylvania. [Read More...]